Jaded
by Sorlk Lewis
Summary: Crichton and Aeryn exchange harsh words when one of Moya's crew leaves... Note: Contains Spoilers For "Self-Inflicted Wounds" and "...Different Destinations"


Disclaimer: The beautiful genius of Farscape belongs to its wonderful creator, Rockne S. O'Bannon, and all the lovely people involved with it including Nine Networks, Jim Henson Productions, Animal Logic, etc. If I was making money from writing this stuff, do you honestly think I would still be writing only fanfic? eJrHWg  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Aeryn stomped into the maintenance bay, anger burning in her eyes, her jaw set, holding back her angry and hurtful words.  
  
"Dammit, Aeryn, just listen to me!" yelled Crichton as he trailed her into the room, his eyes burning with the same anger, sadness lying hidden behind it.  
  
Turning around, Aeryn swung at him, her fist just barely missing his jaw as he grabbed it and used her own momentum against her, pulling her close.  
  
Her voice low and growling, the texture of it screaming danger at Crichton, "Let go of me."  
  
But he wasn't one to regard warning.  
  
"No."  
  
The tone of her voice never wavering, keeping its dangerous edge, tinted with frustration and anger.  
  
"Crichton, let go of me right now."  
  
"I want you to listen to me." He pleaded, not letting go of his grip on her arm, but holding it loose enough for her to easily pull away.  
  
"I don't need to."  
  
Softening his voice, he tried to make her listen to what had happened... tried to tell her what she didn't know; "Yes, you do. You don't know what happened."  
  
Aeryn wouldn't give up her standing. She was sick of everything, sick of him, sick of the tension between them because of her own concerns. She stared defiantly into his eyes, the anger still burning.  
  
"All I know is that you were the last one to talk to Chiana, and now she is gone from Moya."  
  
His voice tensed, going on the defensive as it always did when they fought; "You don't know what happened."  
  
"I don't need to know... you told her what we all agreed not to tell her."  
  
The hurt and betrayal in her voice cut into him deeply.  
  
"No, I didn't."  
  
His sharp tone telling her in silence that her own lack of faith in him cut even deeper than her words meant it to.  
  
"Then what did you tell her?"  
  
She was willing to listen... this gave him hope for a moment.  
  
"That what she was planning was a bad idea... that it would get her killed."  
  
"And she still went? I find that hard to believe."  
  
Sarcastic and bitter laughter escaping Aeryn's lips as she pulled out of his grasp, stepping back several feet so that the emotional difference didn't contrast to the physical one as much.  
  
He relaxed slightly, one of his hands combing through his short hair.  
  
"It's her brother, Aeryn... it's not hard to believe at all... she had overheard us talking in the Center Chamber."  
  
"This is your fault, Crichton... you should have stopped her." Snarled Aeryn.  
  
"Don't blame me for this... just don't."  
  
The sharp edge to his voice was back, his face trying to mask the hurt.  
  
"Well it is your fault. You and your stupid plans..."  
  
That cut deep. A fresh and bleeding wound.  
  
"Don't, Aeryn. Don't go there... my plans always work."  
  
Bitter and angry words poured out of her mouth, almost as if she wasn't even considering what she was saying and what it would do to him, they just flooded out in a gush...  
  
"Oh, would you like to tell that to the women and children back at the peace memorial? Or to Sub-Officer Dacon? I'm sure Jool would like to hear about you and your plans. Or how about Zhaan? Want to tell Zhaan how well your frelling plans work?"  
  
And there was the salt in that open wound.  
  
"Do NOT go there... I was willing to start the generator! She didn't want me to, though, and I granted her wish!"  
  
His futile attempts to defend himself not helping the burning feeling he had in his heart, the sharp pain stinging.  
  
"And she died for it."   
  
More bitter words. Crichton choked back all of the pain and hurt, covering it over with his latest and greatest weapon... anger.  
  
"She wanted to!"  
  
"We could have stopped her... we were only an arn away from a planet..."  
  
"I... we gave her that option and she didn't want to take it... it's not my fault."  
  
Aeryn paused, trying to think of what she could say that would cause the most pain...  
  
"Actions speak louder than words... that's what you once told me."  
  
He didn't say anything. She hit her target, rubbing in the salt until he emotionally broke. His eyes told her she went too far, but she didn't care at the moment. She wanted to be right. She wanted to win this fight. And his eyes told her she had.  
  
Pilot's voice made its self present over the comms breaking the painful silence that had coated them, "Crichton, Aeryn, the transport is returning to Moya."  
  
"Pilot, are you sure?" she questioned, the anger gone from her voice for the moment.  
  
"Yes, Aeryn, I am sure."  
  
"I told you." His words were bitter enough to equal her earlier ones, causing a sour taste to surface in her mouth that she had to bite back.  
  
Turning her back to Crichton, Aeryn ignored him.  
  
"Pilot, is Chiana still on the transport?"  
  
"Yes... and she is alone. She should be docking in 150 microts."  
  
"Thank you, Pilot."  
  
Aeryn turned around to face Crichton, to apologize or continue her berating of him and his actions, she didn't know... but it was too late. He was already gone from the maintenance bay, jaded by her words.  
  
Fin 


End file.
